Immunopharmacology: A new frontier

Abstract

Immunopharmacology is a hybrid science which has been founded upon the principles, theory, and technical developments of both immunology and pharmacology, but which has a unique identity incorporating both basic and applied areas of research. Basic immunopharmacological research is concerned with the underlying mechanisms by which endogenous and synthetic chemicals interact with the cells of the immune system. Important areas of research include the actions of chemicals such as lymphokines, cytokines, complement, kinins, autacoids, drugs, and even neuropeptides on immune function. Applied immunopharmacology is concerned with the development and testing of new immunomodulatory drugs which will be of benefit to clinical medicine but also as basic research tools. In the past, the two fields of immunology and pharmacology have contributed to each other in many significant ways. Immunology has contributed to pharmacological research by the development of antibodies which are frequently used today as specific probes for the quantitative and qualitative analysis of many different classes of chemicals of interest. Pharmacology has contributed to the field of immunology by providing basic pharmacological information on subjects such as the mediators of hypersensitivity reactions and inflammation. In the future, the truly hybrid field of immunopharmacology promises to have an expanding role in clinical medicine and basic research. This prediction is based on the observation that recombinant lymphokines and newly discovered immunomodulatory substances have begun to enter the clinic in ever increasing numbers. Future immunopharmacological research will include the study of the pharmacology of these lymphokines but also the rational development of new drugs that act as antagonists or agonists for the endogenous lymphokines that normally regulate the immune response. These studies will require scientists well versed in the fundamentals of both pharmacology and immunology. Our universities must be prepared to play their role in educating these individuals.Key words: immunopharmacology, immunomodulators.